What's the most epic false cognate you've ever experienced in your daily life?
Mine: I was at a hotel paying for my room (which I reserved online) with my fiancee in Bogota, Colombia a couple of months ago. The manager asked me in Spanish if I had cancelado my reservation -- needless to say, I was a bit shocked as I had corresponded with them several times getting details about the reservation, what time my flight would arrive, etc. but I never once even implied that I wanted to cancel any part of my reservation.
Fast forward a few days later, we're in a small cafe downtown, and the waitress asks us if we want to cancelar our check. Some gears turned, some 2s and 2s were put together... ah. I suddenly realized that cancelar was another way of saying pagar when it came to reservations, invoices, restaurant checks/tabs, etc. and I was blown away. I went back in my mind to the hotel earlier that week and it really amused the hell out of me. I thought this guy was telling me I had cancelled my reservation, and he was just asking if I had already paid. It was the most awesome thing ever.
Mine: I was at a hotel paying for my room (which I reserved online) with my fiancee in Bogota, Colombia a couple of months ago. The manager asked me in Spanish if I had cancelado my reservation -- needless to say, I was a bit shocked as I had corresponded with them several times getting details about the reservation, what time my flight would arrive, etc. but I never once even implied that I wanted to cancel any part of my reservation.
Fast forward a few days later, we're in a small cafe downtown, and the waitress asks us if we want to cancelar our check. Some gears turned, some 2s and 2s were put together... ah. I suddenly realized that cancelar was another way of saying pagar when it came to reservations, invoices, restaurant checks/tabs, etc. and I was blown away. I went back in my mind to the hotel earlier that week and it really amused the hell out of me. I thought this guy was telling me I had cancelled my reservation, and he was just asking if I had already paid. It was the most awesome thing ever.
